Arnold Allen opens up on UFC 297 loss to Movsar Evloev: ‘I just felt like I deserved to win that’
A frustrated Arnold Allen thinks he should have gotten his hand raised against Movsar Evloev.
Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to undefeated Evloev (18-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) on the main card of UFC 297 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
All three judges awarded Evloev Rounds 1 and 2, but Allen disagrees.
“Everyone’s saying (I won) Round 1 and Round 3. I agree,” Allen said on his YouTube channel. “That’s what I felt, too. I felt after Round 1, I was like, ‘Yup, won that one.’ Round 2, no I f*cked that one up. And Round 3, that was mine. Very, very, very, very, very frustrating. Not the way I wanted to start things off (in 2024). … I just felt like I deserved to win that.
“I don’t want to be b*tching and moaning or anything like that. No ill will against his team or the opponent. I watched it back a few times. I wanted to watch it back before I gave a video saying how I felt. I didn’t want to be like, ‘I felt like I got 1 and 3’ just on the base that everyone else said it, and that’s what I felt immediately after.”
In Round 3, Allen had Evloev in a front headlock and landed three consecutive knees. As the knees landed, Evloev was elevating his left hand up and down the canvas. Referee Marc Goddard deemed the knees illegal and called timeout. Allen wasn’t deducted a point but he thought the knees he landed, which split Evloev open, were legal.
“Caught a head-and-arm with about three minutes left in the round, I fired off some knees, and in the moment I believe they were legal,” Allen said. “I asked the rules backstage, and there was nothing to clarify. Mark Goddard is getting a lot of flack for his call, but when he came in and said he was reffing, me, my coach and my manager were very happy, and I still think he’s one of the best refs out there. I believe he made a mistake, and you know, it’s a tough one. … I do feel I was on to a sequence where I was about to set up a finish.
“My opponent was really hurt. The way he sat down, the way he was reacting from the knees. His hand was off even with the rule. Every knee that landed his hand was in the air. I lifted him up, knee, I lifted him up, knee, I lifted him up, knee. Even with that hand down, hand up rule, they were all legal. Then also its palm on the ground, a weight-bearing palm, not fingertips. So at minimum, it was fingertips when I lifted him up, and it wasn’t weight-bearing. It was just poking the floor, poking the floor. I do believe I would have set up a finish from there.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 297.
movsar-evloev-ufc-297-media-day
Share this
image
gallery
arnold-allen-ufc-297-media-day
Share this
image
gallery
movsar-evloev-ufc-297-official-weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
arnold-allen-ufc-297-official-weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
arnold-allen-ufc-297-official-weigh-ins-1
Share this
image
gallery
Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
Arnold Allen UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Arnold Allen UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
Arnold Allen UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Arnold Allen UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins
Share this
image
gallery
Arnold Allen vs Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins faceoff
Arnold Allen vs Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Ceremonial Weigh-ins faceoff
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Bruce Buffer
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Arnold Allen (red glove) fights Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) d reacts during the fight against…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) d reacts during the fight against Arnold Allen (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
UFC 297 Movsar Evloev video Arnold Allen
Share this
image
gallery
Movsar Evloev def Arnold Allen UFC 297
Share this
image
gallery
MMA: UFC 297 - Allen vs Evloev
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Arnold Allen (red glove)…
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Movsar Evloev (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Arnold Allen (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Share this
image
gallery
Movsar Evloev def. Arnold Allen, UFC 297 Scorecard
Share this
image
gallery
